Boxcar



April 19, w38. w. R. ELsEY x-:T AL 2,114,763

BOXCAR Filed Nov. 5, 195e 4 sheets-sheet 1 y 56 llng Q Q Imlulml Ap 19, 1938. w. R. ELsEY ET AL BOXCAR Filed NOV. 5, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: Tmrren H Z'lls y Wanda) .I M25/4er, l d l ToRNEYs.

April 19, 1938.

w. R. ELSEY ET AL BOXCAR Filed NOV. 5, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS: Mrz/.m RE'LS A Z M April 19, 1938.

W. R. ELSEY ET AL A BOXCAR Filed NOV. 5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENToRs: Warren R. ZLsy Sa Wmibl Mbyr,

TORNEYS.

Patented pr. I9, 193

rice

BOX@

Pennsylvania Railroad Company,

Philadelphia, lila.,V al corporation of Pennsylvania Application' November 5, 1936, serial No. 109,262 is claims. (ci. 1057-377) This invention relates to box cars /such as are used by railroads in shipping freight and it has reference more particularly to box cars adapted to be loaded from above through roof hatches.

In connection with box cars of the specific type referred to, it is an aimof our invention to provide a simple and sturdy roof construction which will afford a plurality .of unobstructed quadrangular hatch openings of a maximum size, and which, at the same time, will effectively tie together and brace the side and end walls of the car.

Another object of our invention is to insure against entry of rain and snow into the hatches, which desideratum we attain', as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision Iof deflector means beneath over-hanging portions of the covers for the hatch openings.

Dur invention is also directed toward provision of simple and reliable latch means for securing the hatch covers capable of operation from within the body of the car.

Other objects and attendant advantages of our invention will appear in the following description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I shows the top` plan view of a box car body conveniently embodying `Vthe present improvements, with one of the hatch covers removed and another partly broken away.

car body.

Fig. III is a fragmentary cross sectional view -of the car body taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. I.

IV is a fragmentary view showing'the car body in longitudinal section.

Fig. Vis a view on a larger scale corresponding to Fig. IV, showing the center portion of the car body.

Fig. 'VI ls a fragmentary detail view showing v one of the top corners of the car body in plantaken as indicated by the arrows IX-IX in VIII. v

Figs. X, m, XII, and XIII are fragmentary detail views taken as`respectlvely indicated by the cated at suitable intervals along the interior of v Y' body corners. Mg. II is a fragmentary. view on a larger scale showing, in elevation, a portion of one end of the ing formed in the ,topi of the car as just explained transverse membersli are preferably permaarrows X-X, XI-XI, XII-XII, and )GII-XIII in Fig. I.v

vshowing further details of the hatch cover securing means; and V Fig. XVI is a View like Fig. IV showing an al- 10 ternative form of hatch cover securing means.

In accordance with' my invention, and as herein shown, the usual longitudinal Z-section eave bars i of the car body have secured'to their upper vertical flanges in overlapping relation by means 15 of rivets 2, inwardly curved shoulder plates 3 with upstanding flanges i along their tops. These curved shoulder plates 3 are backed or braced by conformative `castings 5 and respectively, llothe car and at the corners, said castings being se- 20 cured with said plates and the Z-bars i, to the -side -plates l of the car body bythe aforementioned rivets 2. To the end plates of the car are riveted Z-section bars 9 (see Figs. II, IX, and 2 X) having upright upper flanges I0 corresponding in depth to the top flanges t of the curved plates 3 and meeting ,with said flanges Il at the The flanges t and l0 respectively of the curved plates 3 and the end Z-bars 9 thus 30 jointly define the boundary of a top opening which is substantially co-extensive in length with the car body. By means of suitably-spaced arching cross members il, the flange-rimmed openis subdivided into a plurality of smaller seriallyarranged quadrangular hatch openings l2,in the present instance, three. As shown in Figs.

AI and XIII, the cross members Ii are of U-cross section with their ends engaging cut-outs or notches in the flanges fi of the curvedplates 3, and supported on the tops of certain ofthe castings 5. It is to be noted that the vertical flanges i3 of the cross members ll correspond in depth with the flanges d of the curved plates 3 and thus constitute the side edges of contiguous'hatch openingsv i2. At' the regions of meeting, the y flanges d and/4,3 ofthe `curved plates 3 and the whereof the inner flanges i6 are considerably deeper than the outer flanges I1, the latter flanges having edge margins bent outwardly as at I8 to serve as rain and snow deflectors in a manner more clearly described later. As shown in Figs. III, VIII, X and XII, the outer flanges I1 of the coaming bars I5 overlap and are riveted fast to the meeting upstanding flanges 4, I0 and I3 respectively, of the curved plates 3, and the Z-bars 9 at opposite ends of the car, and the transverse connecting members II. 'I'he coaming bars I5 are stiffened by angular inward bending of their flanges I6 at the bottom as at I9, except those at the ends of the car body, whereof the flanges I6 are straight and riveted to inverted channel section cross members 20 interposed between the latter flanges and the end plates 8, see Fig. X. At their opposite ends, the cross members 20 are in turn riveted fast to projections 2I of the corner castings 6 as shown in Figs. VIII and IX. At the regions of meeting, the coaming bars I5 are all mitered and preferably welded together. Obviously, as a consequence of this construction, the side and end walls of the car body are effectively tied together and braced with attendant provision of hatch openings of a maximum size.

The hatch covers 25 are of composite construction with perimetric frames 26 formed from invert U-section rails, and roof sheets 21 riveted to said frames. The hatch covers 25 are further re-inforced by laterally spaced transverse arching channel section battens 28 extending between the side rails of the frames 26. The rails of the hatch cover frames 26 are preferably miter jointed, and the component parts of each cover frame including the battens 2B permanently united by Welding at the regions of juncture. From Figs. III, X, and XI, it will be noted that the hatch cover frames 26 are so proportioned that the inner flanges of their rails 29 llt rather snugly into the hatch openings I2 defined by the coamings I5, and moreover that the frames are stiffened through outward bending of margins of said inner flanges and also of the outer flanges 30 as indicated respectively at 32 and 3I. When the covers 25 are in place, the outer pendant flanges 30 of the frames 26 overhang the projections I8 around the hatch coamings I5, Within perimetric clearances 33. By joint action of the outward perimetric projections 3I of the hatch covers 25 and the perimetric projections I8 of the coamings I5, rain and snow are effectively deected and prevented from entering the car through the hatches. Each hatch cover 25 is provided, as shown in Fig. I, with four eyes 35 so that a lifting crane can be conveniently em- Ployed in removing it, and-each of them, moreover, carries aV portion 36 of a running board which extends centrally of the top of the car. The slats 31 of each section 36 of the running board are supported at a slight elevation above the roof sheets 21 by bridge pieces 38 riveted to the covers in the regions of the battens 28. In each instance, a -channel section ridge bar 39 serves to stiien the latch cover longitudinally. At opposite ends of the car are additional boards 40 which constitute continuations of the main running board, and which, with similar continuations of contiguous cars of a train, bridge the gaps between cars. As shown in Figs. II and X, the supplemental end boards 40 are supported by brackets 4I riveted fast to the car ends. The endmost hatch covers also carry lateral running boards 42 whereof the slats 43 are supported by bridge pieces, such as shown at 44 in Fig. II, suitably affixed to said covers.

The securing means for the hatch covers 25 includes a. pair of shafts 45 which may be of square section as shown, and which extend longitudinally of opposite sides of the interior of the car body immediately under the curved shoulder plates 3, see Figs. III, IV, V, X, and XIII. To these shafts 45 are secured, by means of set screws 46, cylindric collars 41 which are journaled for rotation in bearings 48 afforded by the brackets 5. To each of these shafts 45 is also affixed a series of latch members 49 which extend upward into the hollows of the coamings I5 and whereof the hook ends 5U reach inwardly through clearance apertures 5I in the inner flanges I6 of said coamings and engage registering apertures 52 in the inner flanges 29 of the hatch cover frames 26. The shafts 45 are operable by means of lever handles 53 which extend downwardly from them immediately inward of the door openings 55 in the sides of the car, as shown in Figs. IV and XVI, where they are conveniently acceible. The lever handles 53 are lockable against movement, with the hatch covers 25 latched by registering eyes 55 on them with apertured lugs 56 on the car and the passing chain-supported hooks 51 (Fig, IV) through the aligned apertures of said eyes and lugs. As a consequence of this arrangement, it is possible to simultaneously latch the hatch covers at each side of the car.

In Fig. XVI there is shown a modified locking arrangement in which separate latching shafts 45a. are provided at the opposite sides of the car for each hatch cover, said shafts being individually operable by separate lever handles 53a.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. A box car with an opening in its top sub- .l

stantially coextensive in length with the car defined yby upstanding edge flanges of meeting plate members of the car body; U-section cross members with upstanding flanges corresponding in depth to those of said plate members with their ends fitting notches in the longitudinal flanges of the opening and setting apart a plurality of separate hatch openings; and individually removable covers for the hatch openings.

2. A box car with an opening in its top substantially coextensive in length with the car defined by upstanding edge flanges of meeting plate members of the car body; U-section cross members with upstanding flanges corresponding in depth to those of the body members with their ends fitting notches in .the longitudinal flanges of the opening and setting apart a plurality of separate hatch openings; individually removable covers with perimetric portions overhanging the hatch openings; and perimetric deflector means beneath the overhanging portions of the covers for preventing entry of rain or snow into the hatches.

3. A box car having a hatch opening in its top dened by upstanding edge flanges of meeting plate members of the car body; invert U-section coaming bars with their outer flanges iastened to the perimetric flanges around the hatch opening; a removable hatc'h cover having a roofing sheet and a perimetric reinforcing frame formed from invert U-section bars with the inner flanges of the latter fitting into the coamed hatch openings and with the outer flanges extending beyond the coaming; and perimetric deflector means beneath the overhanging portion of thc cover around thecoaming beneath the cover for preventing entry of rain or snow into the hatch.

4. A box car having a hatch opening in its top defined by upstanding edge flanges of meeting plate members of the car body; invert U-section coaming bars with their outer flanges overlapping and fastened to the outsides of the perimetric,

flanges around the hatch opening and with edge margins of said outer flanges bent laterally outward to form a perimetric deflector for rain and snow; and a removable cover' having a roof sheet,

and perimetric reinforcing frame formed from invert U-section bars with their inner flanges fitting into the coamed hatch opening and their outer flanges overhanging the perimetric deflector around said opening.

5. A .box car with an opening in its top substantially coextensive in length with the car defined by upstanding edge flanges of meeting plate members of the car body; U-section cross members with upstanding flanges corresponding in depth to those of said plate members with their ends fitting notches in the longitudinal flanges of the opening and setting apart a plurality of separate hatch openings; invert U syection coaming bars with their outer flanges fastened to the perimetric flanges around the several hatch opentively having roofing sheets and perimetric reinforcing frames formed from invert U-section bars with the inner flanges of the latter fitting into the coamed hatch openings and with the outer flanges extending beyond the coamings; and perimetric deflector means beneath the overhangs of the covers for preventing entry of rain or snow into the hatches.

6. A box car having a'body with side and end walls; Z-bars secured along the. top edges of the side walls; inwardly rounded shoulder plates secured to the upper'flanges of the Z-bars, said plates having upright flanges at their tops; Z-bars fastened along the upper edges of the end walls of the car body with their upper upright flanges meeting the upright flanges of the shoulder plates to form a hatch opening; and a removable cover for the hatch opening.

7. A box car having a body with side and end walls; Z-bars secured along the top edges of"` the side walls; inwardly rounded shoulder plates secured to the upper flanges of the Z-bars, said plates having upright flanges at their tops; Z- bars fastened to the upper edges of the end walls of the body, the upper flanges of the last mentioned Z-bars meeting with the upright flanges of the shoulder plates; transverse U-section cross members at intervals along the lengthv of the car body setting apart a plurality of individual hatch openings, the ends of said cross members fitting notches in the flanges of the shoulder plates with their flanges meeting those of said shoulder plates; conformative castings secured to the inner sides of the shoulder plates and supporting the ends of the cross members; and separately removable covers for the several hatch openings.

8. A box car having a body with side and end walls; Z-bars secured along the top edges ofthe side walls; inwardly rounded shoulder plates secured to the upper'flanges of the Zdbars, said plates having upright'flanges at their tops; Z- bars fastened to the upper edges of the end walls of the body, the upper'flanges of the last mentioned Z-bars meeting with the upright flanges of the shoulder plates; transverse U-section cross members at intervals along the length of the car body setting apart a plurality of individual hatch openings, the ends of said cross members fitting notches in the flanges of the shoulder plates with their flanges meeting those of said shoulder plates; conformative castings secured to the inner sides of the shoulder plates and supporting the ends of the cross members; invert U-section coaming bars having their outer flanges overlapping and secured to the upright perimetric anges around the hatch openings; and individually re- `movable hatch covers having roof sheets and perimetric supporting frames formed from invert U-section bars, with the inner flanges ofsaid bars fitting into the coamed hatch openings and with the outer flanges extending beyond the coarnings.

9. A boxcar having a coamed hatch opening; a hatch cover with a pendant perimetric flange; and means for securing the coverfrom Within the car, including retractable latch members vadapted to reach laterally through clearance apertures in the coaming and engage the pendant flange of said cover. 10. lA box car having a coamed hatch opening; a hatch cover with a pendant perimetric flange; and means for securing the cover from within the car, including pivotally mounted latch members adapted to reach laterally through clearance apertures in the coaming and engage .the pendant flange of the cover.

11. A box car having a coamed hatch opening; a cover with a pendant perimetric flange fitting intothe hatch opening; and means for securing the 'cover from within the car, including retractable latch members adapted to reach laterally through lateral clearance apertures in the hatch coaming and engage the pendant flange of the cover.

12. A box car having, along its length, a plurality of coamed hatch openings; hatch coverswith pendant perimetric flanges; and means for securing the covers from within thel car including a longitudinally extending shaft and latch members on the shaft adapted to reach laterally through clearance apertures in the coamings and engage the pendant flanges of the covers, and means for actuating the shaft.

13. A box car having a coamed hatch opening: a cover with a pendant perimetric flange fitting over the hatch opening; and means for securing the cover from within the car including horizontal shafts parallel with the edges of the hatch opening; latch members on the shafts adapted to reach laterally through lateral apertures in the hatch coaming and engage the pendant flange of the cover; actuating' lever handles for the shafts;

Aagainst movement with the cover latched.

14. A, box car having, along its roof, a longi and means for locking the actuating handles tudinal series of coamed hatch openings; individual covers with pendant perimetric flanges fitting over the hatch openings; and means lior securing the covers from within the c'ar, including a longitudinally extending shaft; latch members" latched.

I* l5. A, box car having a hatch opening with an f upstanding perimetric flangejointly aorded by plate members of the car body structure; hatch coaming bars of invert U-secltion with their inner flanges fastened to the perimetric ilangearound the hatch opening; a cover with a pendant perimetric ange fitting over the coamng; and means for securing the cover from within the car, including pivotally mounted latch members extending upward into the hollow of the coaming, said latch members having hook ends adapted to reach laterally through clearance apertures in the coaming and engage the pendant flange of the hatch cover.

16. A box car having a hatch opening with an upstanding perimetric flange jointly afforded by plate members of the car body structure; hatch coaming bars of invert U-section with their inner flanges overlapping and fastened to the perimetrlc ange around the hatch opening; a cover with a roofing sheet and a perimetric supporting frame formed from invert U`secton bars with the inner flanges of the latter fitting into the coamed opening; and means for securing the cover from within the car, including retractable latch members reaching laterally through clearance apertures in the inner flanges of the coaming and engaging the corresponding inner flanges of the perimetric frame bars of said cover.

17. A box car having, along its roof, a longitudinal series of coamed hatch openings; individual covers with pendant perimetrlc flanges f1tting over the hatch openings; and means for securing the covers from within the car, including a series of aligned longitudinal shafts along opposite sides of the car, latch members on the respective shafts adapted to reach laterally outward through clearance apertures in the hatch coamings and engage the pendant flanges of the covers, and means for actuating the individual shafts.

18. A box car having a coamed hatch opening in its top; a cover with an outwardly and downwardly-extending perimetric flange portion overhanging the hatch coaming with a downwardly open perimetric clearance intervening; and a perimetric deflector projection extending outward laterally from the hatch coaming beneath the overhang of the cover and crosswise of the clearance interval to exclude rain or snow from said interval.

WARREN R. ELSEY. WENDEL J. MEYER. 

